“I LOVE YOU”s
by striking-bodeci
Summary: She says it ten times. The first time she says it, Alec laughs. Renesmee C./Alec
1. The First Time

_If love is the answer, could you rephrase the question? ~ Lily Tomlin_

**The first time she says it, Alec laughs.**

"I love you?" Renesmee says, almost confused. Alec laughs, because she seems so unsure, when really it was obvious. "Of course you don't," He says, his voice gentle and silky, like trying to coax a child to go to sleep. Irritation flashes across her face for a second and Renesmee glares at him, "then why did you just say I did?" "I wanted to see how drunk you really are," he intercepts, easily extracting a bottle of beer from Renesmee s clutched hands, "and apparently, very. Of course you don't love me." Oh. Renesmee s voice is soft and feeble, and for a split second, Alec is almost convinced she seemed disappointed, like she really did want to love him. Alec laughs once more, because he does not know what else to do.


	2. The Second Time

_Love makes mutes of those who habitually speak most fluently ~ Madeleine De Scudery_

**The second time she says it, Alec chokes.**

"I love you," Renesmee suddenly says, looking up from her book and speaking those words casually, like as if she had just said something mundane like nice weather . For the first time since he had become a vampire Alec choked. It had seemed impossible, without the obscene amount of saliva humans had, but he still choked. Renesmee then giggled, "That's real smooth." Alec just stares at her, an expression akin to disbelief crossing his pale face, and for a moment, Alec is stunned speechless. Then he smiles, flashing his white teeth at her, blood red eyes dancing with mischief (he thought he heard her gasp), "so you have finally come to your senses. Well, what changed your mind? Was it my irresistible good looks, or my rapier sharp wit?" Renesmee made a face and held up her book (Alec did not pay attention to its title, just remembered Renesmee calling it a chick lit , whatever it was), "the female lead is pondering the possibility of confessing her love for the male lead. And this thought leaves her wondering how males respond to those three words, I thought I might find out for myself." Alec smirks in return, "that's too bad then." It is too bad, because vampires were far from being males.


	3. The Third Time

_We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love. ~Author Unknown_

**The third time she says it, Alec winks.**

"I love you," Renesmee coos, "oh yes I do!" She flashes a brilliant smile at him and pinches his cheek with zest. Alec winks at her, and replies without flaw, "and I you." They continue to smile at each other like there was no tomorrow, both keeping up the act till the show would be over, when the waitress with too huge a crush on him would finally get the hint. It was one of Renesmee's silly ideas, and Alec was too bored to turn it down, so he played along. But suddenly, strangely, it stops feeling scripted as the two look at each other. Renesmee starts to look flushed, the familiar blush creeping up her cheeks. He swore he could even hear her heart pounding and the air felt strangely smothered. It was then he started noticing her eyes, almond shaped eyes. They weren't extremely huge, nor where they slits, they were just normal, and yet he couldn t look away. Finally, once he regained a semblance of sanity, Alec let go of her hand and said without any triumph, "she's gone." "Good!" Renesmee awkwardly forces out a laugh, "I told you it would work, I told you this was sure to drive her away. It's too bad though, she is probably going to be crying her eyes out for the rest of her life." Alec just shrugs, "she'll get over it." They always do, eventually. He doesn t mention the fact that he only did this in the first place to humor her. Renesmee glares at him, but not for long, before breaking out into a fury of giggles. Alec stared in amusement, chuckling softly next to her considerably louder laughs. They continued to do that for the rest of the day, because just for that moment, it was as if they really were human beings, in love.

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_I have to admit, i was kind of disappointed with myself for this chapter. Mainly because I felt that it got kind of out of character, and that sucks on a personal level for the fanfiction writer in me, so yeah. But overall, the other 10 chapters I've written for this story have been coming together fine so i don't think there will be much of a problem, except for this chapter, so please bear with me. :D I'll probably post a new chapter every 4 days, depending on circumstances. _

_Anyway, some of you might be wondering how Alec and Renesmee are even with each other and stuff and unfortunately, I AM REALLY REALLY REALLY SORRY, but I'm kind of lame like that, but I don't have any background. It's kind of just like them with each other with no background. Just random times she says those words. Anyway, after this story is over, I might just write a full long-chaptered story on them, WITH DETAILS. so yeah. I'm really sorry for those of you whom might be a bit confused, but actually, as the story goes long, i think some of the background would naturally come to you i guess. Hopefully. Anyway, please review. It really really really helps built my confidence and gives me the will to keep writing. Thanks :DDD_


	4. The Fourth Time

_You know you're in love when you don't want to fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams. ~Dr. Seuss_

**The fourth time she says it, Alec frowns.**

"I love you…" Renesmee mumbles as she tosses over in her bed. Instinctively, Alec tensed up and he frowned.

It was odd, this strange feeling of possessiveness, that the thought of her loving another man made him feel this indescribable burst of anger. He had experienced anger before, even rage, coursing through him, when he heard Jane scream in pain as the flames licked at her legs back when they were human, when he focused on stripping his enemies of their senses, when one of those newborns got out of hand and attack him. But nothing felt as foreign as this. All of a sudden, he felt this urge to wake her up and shake her shoulders and demand to know who that guy is.

He would rip him apart.

Alec frowns even more, because he can't understand it, he does not even love Renesmee, and yet there he was angry over a few whispered words from the haze of sleep. He curls his hands into a fist, because he detests feeling confused, so used is his mind to being clear and assessing. When he calms down, he scoffs at himself, because he knows he is just being ridiculous, so he leaves through the windows and escapes out into the vast woods.

Just a minute slower and he would have caught the slow moan of his own name escape from her lips.

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**Hope you like it :D Please do review. :))**


	5. The Fifth Time

_The one thing we can never get enough of is love. And the one thing we can never give enough of is love. ~Henry Miller_

**The fifth time she says it, Alec sighs.**

"I. Love. You." Renesmee states with a playful tone, clutching the first edition copy of "Wuthering Heights" Alec had given her, one of the many books stored in the vast library of the Volturi, "thank you so much Alec, for giving it to me. You knew it was my favourite, didn't you?"

Alec just sighs, because it's getting quite tiring, how she just throws that phrase around.

To her friends, to her family, to that waitress that helped clean up the mess when she spilled her drink last Sunday, to the guy on the street whom gave her coupons to Patty's Diner, to anyone really, anyone whom helped put a smile on her face.

Alec sighs again, it really was extremely ridiculous, he had better things to do than scourge the library for that one tiny book, and yet that was exactly what he did - for reasons unknown even, to himself.

"Why do you keep sighing?" Renesmee demands to know.

Alec won't tell. He won't let her know how oddly disappointed he was with her response. He has been existing for more than a thousand years, and if there's anything he knew from that time, it was that the easiest way to get hurt was to love. And yet, she gave it away like spare change, she loved that easily, anyone and for any simple reason. She just didn't understand, but Alec did. Just because you gave love away, doesn't mean you'll get it back as easily. It would take him a long time before he would realize that he understood wrong.

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**I thought a might shed some light on a hidden Alec turmoil (love: giving it and receiving it) for a bit. I imagined it would be a nice contrasts between the two of them. What with Renesmee so full of life and ready to love and spread love VS. Alec, hardened undead "incapable" of love. Oh well, hope you like it. DO REVIEW. PRETTY PRETTY PLEASE? :D Thanks to those whom have reviewed so far with suggestions and encouragement, it really does help SO MUCH. Thanks :D**


	6. The Sixth Time

_You learn to like someone when you find out what makes them laugh, but you can never truly love someone until you find out what makes them cry. ~Author Unknown_

**The sixth time she says it, Alec stops.**

"I love you," Renesmee moans softly as he traced his lips from her earlobe to her throat, his cold hands pressing her against his body, bringing her closer to him. Alec stops abruptly, and pulls away, his grasp on her arms instantly releasing her.

It wasn't meant to happen.

ne moment he was here and she was there and the next, his lips were on hers, nibbling greedily and his body ached to feel the weight of her. She was moaning and sighing as he caressed her and all of a sudden, he didn't care, like he was doing this just as much for himself as for her. Yet when she said those words, something inside of him makes him stop.

'What have I done?' he can't help thinking to himself.

He feels something akin to guilt bubble in his chest, or was it, it had been so long since he last felt it, maybe it was repulsion, at himself. Renesmee was a good person, he should have never brought the monster that he is into her life. He steps away from her, her hair tousled and lips swollen from his moment of rashness, and immediately he knows he will regret this. "You can't love me," Alec says with determination, voice hard and unyielding.

Renesmee looks at him is disbelief, stubbornly raising up her hand to touch him. Alec jerks away, ignoring the hurt that flashes across her eyes, "you shouldn't love me. For your sake, you shouldn't," he insists, tone indifferent. Renesmee rolls her eyes, and for one split second, she looks as though she just might smack him, "you are such an ignorant masochistic prig. No one on this earth should ever have to live without love…" she said with such a conviction he almost believed her. They stare at each other and Alec thinks he might go crazy, crazy from the pain he felt, from the ache of desire he felt, from the fact that he couldn't numb it all away.

Finally, "and that's why you can't love me, because you deserved to be loved in return." Then, he was gone, leaving behind Renesmee, whom wrapped her arms around herself and welcomed the torrent of tears that escaped from her eyes.

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_okay, so i am kinda at a stuck point in the story after this chapter. see, i'm TORN BETWEEN TWO ENDINGS. One is happy and one is sad, and i have actually started writing them but right now i am not sure whether i want to make it a happy ending or not? HELP ME! But i gotta be honest, i'm a sucker for tragedies, but at the same time, i've grown to believe that a story with such a fluffy and cheesy title DESERVES a happy ending? So what do you think? to be honest, i am kind of inching towards the sad ending, it more suited to my style as a writer, writing tragedies that is. or maybe i'll do two different endings, like alternate endings. oh well, we'll see. :)_

_anyway, i'll probably only be able to update only after a week after this cause i am gonna need to do some serious thinking regarding the ending of this story and the direction its gonna take and adding to that, i got a ton of school work, so anyway, please do review in the mean time. :THANKS :D_


	7. The Seventh Time

_When there is love, there is pain. ~Spanish Proverb_

**The seventh time she says it, Alec winces.**

"I love you!" Renesmee screams at him as he is walking away, so loud and clear and unmistakable that Alec winces.

But he continues to walk, because he knows she deserves more, more than him.

It's just that she doesn't know it yet.

She runs after him and, no doubt, with all the force she can summon, bangs her fists into his back. It barely registers, but his heart starts to feel a little sore. "I love you, you foolish twit! It doesn't matter what you think because I know you love me too!" Alec closes his eyes and wonders for the briefest of moments how he managed to get this stubborn, insufferable and annoying girl into his every thought. 'By loving her,' a voice whispered in his head, so soft he thinks he is going insane, a pattern he noticed that keeps repeating ever since he met her. That reminds him, she was still punching his back.

Alec sighed and turned around, quickly seizing her two wrists in one of his hands, then he squeezes, hard.

"Ow! Alec, stop you're hurting me! Stop!" Alec pulls her in closer, so close he could feel her breath on his face. "Well, that the only thing I know how to do. Hurt people," Alec says in a deadly calm voice, cutting through the tension like a knife, "And that's what I'm going to do to you too, if I don't stop this madness. Because god knows, I seem to be the only rational one over here," his voice is trailing off now, softer and gentler, like the Alec she knew before that night when she confessed. There is silence as they stand there, listening to the sound of her breathing.

"The only way you would hurt me is if you're not going to be around, that would be the real pain." Her unwavering trust in him made him want to scream out in frustration, she just didn't get it. He let go of her hands, and slowly, his movements tantalizingly slow, he bent his head and planted a kiss of her cheek. It was so soft and light, like air, almost like it didn't even happen. A hope sparked in Renesmee, and she couldn't not hold on to it, hold on to that kiss, a rare sign of Alec's possible feelings for her. 'No,' she told herself,' 'possible' wasn't the word.' The way he treated her, made her feel, it did nothing if not convince her even more that he held nothing less than love for her too. Something that magical just couldn't not be love, it just couldn't.

Alec brought his hands up to brush her cheek gently, making her blush instantly, and hope fluttered in her heart. Then, he said that only thing that Renesmee never ever wanted to hear him say to her, "I'm sorry." And he was gone.

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**i have to admit, i am kinda pissed off at Alec now. haha, no i'm just joking - i'll marry the guy if i could. yeah, but anyway, i do sincerely believe that alec does care for renesmee that he does love her, but he just doesn't know it yet. And that he thinks he is protecting her. But i know, deep down, he does care for her. IT IS JUST THAT HE IS LOVING HER IN HIS OWN WAY, THE ONLY WAY TO LOVE HER THAT HE CAN LIVE WITH. look, anyway, thanks for being so nice and waiting so long for a new chapter and for reviewing. and right now, i think i know which ending i am going to do. but i won't reveal it yet! haha, anyway, so you'll just have to keep reading to see what happens. and once again, sorry, cause you'll have to wait for a bit for the next chapter for this story, cause i plan to work on and compelte my other story REMEMBER THE FORGOTTEN before i continue with chapter 8. yup, anyway, do review.**

**TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST, I was totally planning to keep this til the end of the week but then just last night i had this insane bout of inspiration and i completed chapter 9 with 2 hours. i am so excited for what's going to happen next, so i just couldn't resist posting this a bit earlier. haha, ANYWAY. i know this chapter isn't really all that great but i promise you that the real action starts during the EIGHT TIME.**

**SO PLEASE REVIEW AND I'LL TRY TO POST FASTER. :DDDDD reviews are like the only things that keep me updating and posting new chapters. so i want to really thank those whom have reviewed, it was EXTREMELY GREAT MOTIVATION.**


	8. The Eight Time

**Before you guys come at me with pitchforks and baseball bats, heres quick disclaimer: you are not going to like this chapter. But know that it is ESSENTIAL. meaning extremely necessary in this case. I thought i had to shed some light on why Alec is probably so hestitant. I mean, this isn't like the New-moon-naive-edward-ooh-he-is-leaving-bella-caus-he-MIGHT-hurt-her. this is , after all, Alec VOLTURI, he CAN actually hurt her, and he WILL actually hurt her in some way or another, intentionally or unintentionally, if they do get together. This isn't some naive misguided attempt to protect Renesmee, this is Alec being a man and trying to save the one he loves. It's called sacrifice. Isn't that what love is about? **

**But then again, who knows? Maybe they might find a way around it? Maybe Alec will find a way, let's trust in that. Let's trust in Alec. :)))**

**BUT for the sake of those who _have_ lost their trust in Alec after reading this chapter, I will reveal that you WILL be happy with the next chapter: The NINTH TIME. **

**I PROMISE YOU. Like honestly, i literally felt all light and fluffy just writing the damn thing.**

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"_Why is it that we don't always recognize the moment love begins, but we always recognize the moment it ends?" ~ Anonymous_

**The eight time she says it, Alec swears.**

"I love you!" Renesmee shouts indignantly, face flaring up with frustration, "damn it you idiot! Do you not get it?!" Her voice is urgent, like she was desperately trying, trying so hard to make him see something right in front of him.

Alec swears, an extremely colourful word that under normal circumstances would have made her blush scarlet, but Renesmee is too tired, too fed up to acknowledge that expletive.

He sighs, and brushes his hands roughly over his face. He too is tired, trying to explain to her something so simple to himself, "You don't love me!" He replies, words loud and course, "you only think you do!" That was already the third time he had repeated it. Renesmee grinds her teeth, face distorting, "Yes. I. Do."

The situation is getting quite tiring, the two of them facing each other, fists clenched, face scrunched, each trying to make the other believe what the other doesn't want to.

"No. You. Don't."

With a loud growl, Renesmee bared her teeth and plunged herself on Alec, fists pummelling down on him, defiant til the end. "Shut up. Shut up. Just shut up Alec!" she screams in exasperation, all the while continuing her assault on his head. Alec is momentarily stunned, caught off guard by her sudden violent outburst. "What the…? Woman! Get down!" he shouts, yanking at her arms and pulling her down from his shoulders. With a thud, she lands on the ground. Renesmee glares at him from the ground and Alec was sure that if looks could kill even vampires, he would have been dead ten times over. Nevertheless, Alec remains standing, arms crossed, his body casting a shadow over her. Renesmee just stares back at him, chewing her lips thoughtfully, pondering something. Alec won't admit it, but it unsettles him.

Finally, Renesmee says in a quiet voice, "why don't I love you? Why makes you believe I don't?" Alec smirked, "easy. How many reasons would you like?" Renesmee's lips tilt downwards, looking sad and dejected. Alec detests that look. "Just the important ones…" Alec inwardly sighs, hating the dispirited edge in her voice.

"One, we are so different from each other."

"Opposites attract," Renesmee says, voice crystal clear.

"Bloodthirsty, power hungry predators and innocent spirited little girls don't."

Alec could not miss her annoyed eye roll even if he tried.

"Two, I work for the Volturi, and given the chance, I would have killed you in a heartbeat all those years ago."

"Technically, you don't have a heart, so you wouldn't really have a heart beat if you get…" she trailed off at Alec's silencing glare.

"Three, I'm not a good person. I really am not. I am as ruthless and devious as the next. Someone like you… someone like you can't be with me and walk away unaffected."

Renesmee shakes her head obstinately, "it doesn't matter, Alec. It doesn't matter who you are, or who you think you are. It doesn't change the person I know -"

"And four," Alec interrupts, "you already have someone to love. Do you not?"

It was funny, the slight ache in his chest and the instant curl of his fists when he said it out loud. Renesmee is stunned for a moment. Then, the most unexpected and shocking thing happened, her expression swiftly turned to pure venom as she stared him down, barring her fangs at him. For a brief moment, Alec considers numbing her for the sake of his on safety.

She looked so furious, like she could actually be a member of the Volturi. The thought sickened him to no end.

"Don't make him an excuse Alec! Don't you dare!"

Alec scoffs, his mouth curling up, cruel and mocking, "Protective, aren't we?" His tone is scary and harsh, even to himself and he catches Renesmee flinching. He hates himself, in that moment, hating how hard it has become to hurt her. All he knew was that he needed this to end, needed to save this girl from herself, to stop her from making the biggest mistake of her life.

It would be his one last redeeming act before he was doomed to hell, like all monsters are.

"I don't love Jacob," Renesmee says, voice cracking, "I don't love Jacob."

Alec even entertained the notion of muting her.

"Not the way I love you."

Alec was sure he hated her now. Hated the way only she could make him feel so bad. But he would do this, because he respected her enough to, he would do it, because she deserved to be happy, no matter how irrational she was about her own wellbeing.

"You want to know the real reason we can't be together?"

Silence.

Alec takes a deep breath.

"Because I don't love you back."

Alec lied before. It was a sin, and this time, he was going to hell for sure, there was no way anyone whom was capable of creating such an expression as the one of Renesmee's face would be spared from eternal damnation.

She didn't say anything, just pushed herself up off the ground, and ran away, footsteps thudding loudly against the pavement.

Alec had killed, tortured and tormented countless numbers of vampires, werewolves and humans alike. Alec had drunk the blood of children right before their screaming mother's eyes. Alec had watched the light go out of another's eyes as he ripped his or her head off.

But the hardest thing he ever had to do, he found, was watching the girl whose entire being haunted his dreams run, away from him.

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**We're nearing the end soon, 3 more chapters: 9th time, 10th time and the ______ time. i won't tell you what the ______time stands for. i guess you'll have to find out for yourself. i have finally come to terms with the ending i hope to achieve and i am completely satisfied with it. it's unexpected, to say the least, different if you may. but i do so hope you will like it. anyway, please continue to review so i can further improve and edit the remaining chapters. i really do hope that this story ends well, and i think that the last three chapters are so so so important, so PLEASE DO REVIEW and help me out here. Thanks.**

**I am kinda stuck in a rut for "remember the forgotten", so i thought i would just go ahead and update this story instead.**


	9. The Ninth Time

**The ninth time she says it, Alec believes.**

"I love you…" Renesmee says. Her voice is worried, yet gentle. It sounds muffled and distant, yet essentially, it was there, like it has always been. Alec believes her, in that moment. He doesn't understand why, but he suddenly believes that she truly does love him. The epiphany shocks him but he doesn't react. He just feels numb, like he was in a bubble.

Renesmee is sobbing now, one hand clutching his and the other muffling the sound of her crying. She is kneeling beside him and he realizes that he is lying down. He doesn't pause to question this, too involved in the sight of Renesmee.

"Don't cry," he tries to say, but nothing comes out. He can't seem to say anything. He starts repeating the words again and again, louder and louder, but she can't seem to hear. He just wants so badly for her to stop crying, to stop hurting this way. He struggles to move his free hand, to cup her chin and make her look at him, see that he was okay. But he can't move, he is paralyzed.

"I love you, Alec," Renesmee sobs out, her voice clear and cutting over the silence despite her tears, "I love you, don't you leave me. Not like this." He can't hear anything, nothing, except her voice.

Alec tries to tell her to stop crying, that he wasn't going to leave her, not anymore. "I'm not going anywhere Renesmee, I'm staying right where you are. I'm never leaving," he wants to say, but it is all in vain. It doesn't come out, not even as a whisper.

He is powerless. He can't do anything. Anything to help the woman he loves.

Alec feels like theres a cloud of haze around him, like he was trapped in this invisible shield, unable to do anything. Physically that is. Mentally, he was sure he was still able to think. And he realized, without any doubt or qualms, that he did, in fact, love her back.

It was weird, this lightness he felt, knowing that she loved him and he loved her back.

Suddenly, Renesmee's sobs got louder and her grip on his hand tightened. She had the same stubborn look in her eyes, the one she had when someone was making her do something she didn't want to. With a surge of desperation, he realized that someone, something, was pulling her away from him. He couldn't see whom or what, all he could see was Renesmee, but he knew that he felt mad.

He was stark raving mad in fact, fury burning within him, someone was taking his Renesmee away from him.

Renesmee is screaming now, "no! He can't be dead! He is not dead! Let me go!" Alec is too angry to feel confused, Renesmee's grip on his hand was already loosening.

Alec suddenly felt so… scared. The foreign feeling washed over him and he desperately tried to hold on to her hand, hold on to the only thing real to him. "Do not take her away from me!" he screams angrily, but the word is lost in the haze.

Then, her touch is lost altogether and Alec feels like he is slipping. Slipping away… He can no longer see anything nor feel anything. But he could still her. He hears the fury in Renesmee's voice, further away and like an echo.

"Jacob! Let me go! Let me go!"

He feels so frustrated, unable to do anything, anything to stop that dog, unable to bring her back to his side. All he wants is Renesmee.

So he calls her name. Over and over again, the air around him is turning mistier with each second and he can feel his vision blurring and his body growing weaker and tired. But he is resolved, determined not to give up, so he pushes through the mist and he repeats her name in his mind.

Abruptly, he feels a soft hand so familiar to himself thrust itself roughly into his once again and he relaxes. Renesmee is calling him too. Her voice warm and inviting, strong and comforting, the way she was. It cuts through the blurry veil and the air gets clearer and clearer. Alec suddenly knows what to do, listening to her voice, calling out to him and he fights the haze, her voice getting louder.

Until finally, he is free.

He opens his eyes, for real this time and there Renesmee was, staring at him, tears rolling down her face as she gasped in surprise. He feels like he has just woken from a deep sleep, everything around him feels real, palpable.

He doesn't stop to glance around, to figure out what happen. All he can focus on is Renesmee, and her smile, contrasting against her tear-stained face. He sits up and crushes her impulsively against him, arms wrapped tightly around her small frame. Her arms are wound around his neck, securing herself to him.

They don't break apart, even when that disgusting dog growled angrily. It was only when Alec heard the soft, girly voice of his sister, Jane, call out his name softly does he reluctantly pull away. Even then, Renesmee grips his hands tightly, refusing to let go.

Alec looks behind him, pausing to find a worried expression on Jane's face. She was also kneeling on his other side, although he couldn't remember seeing her there before. He kissed her cheek in reassurance. Her perfectly beautiful face was creased even as she smiled at him weakly.

Alec glanced around, noting the presence of Felix, Demetri and Reneta, all of whom nodded back at him. The entire Cullen family was there too, together with their disgusting mongrel, whom Alec thought with some glee, looked as if he had just been punched. In fact, a closer look revealed that he had, been punched. Recently.

They were in what seemed to be an abandoned warehouse, and somewhere at the corner, there was fire burning. What it was meant to be burning, Alec could only guess.

His memories came flooding back to him, a frantic Alice arriving at the Voltaire announcing news of Renesmee's disappearance, the mad dash to Crocker's Warehouse, the ambush upon their arrival by a dozen other vampires. He remembered the female vampire holding Renesmee down, he had gone straight to her, prepared to numb her into submission, trying not to get distracted by the terrified look Renesmee had in her eyes. It seemed that the vampire did something to him and he felt himself lose all feeling.

Alec must have looked confused, because he felt Renesmee clutching his hand tighter and Jane put at hand on his shoulder.

"This female vampire, the one whom attacked you I believe, she had some ability to mirror another's power. To…"

"Turn your own powers against you," Alec finished for her sister, understanding dawning on him.

Jane didn't smile, face expressionless, her tone seemingly apathetic, "how does it feel like to numb yourself?" Her voice turned grudging, "if it weren't for Bella casting her shield, I would have found out what my own torture felt like." Her smile was crude and awkward; she hated relying on any other.

Alec looks up and nods briefly at Bella, a sign of acknowledgement for protecting his sister. Bella smiled uncomfortable, still not entirely comfortable with her daughter's close proximity to him, as well as the presence of the other Volturi members, "I'm truly sorry I didn't stop her in time to help you as well Alec."

He doesn't reply, just looks at Renesmee, whom has barely taken her eyes off of him, still examining for any other wounds he might have had, apart from the obvious one. "I didn't know how long you would have remained like that, but I knew you weren't dead, "she whispers in a small voice, causing Alec to snake his other arm protectively around her waist.

This action did not go unnoticed by the others around and there was a slight stir among the Cullen family, whereas the dog growled menacingly. Jane lifted her head up and looked at him threateningly in an act of defending her brother. She didn't approve of Renesmee and him together anymore than the others, but she would support her brother nevertheless.

Almost instinctively, Bella quickly raised the shield around her coven and that dog, and the line between the two covens, which had blurred during the fight, was once again drawn clearly. The tension was back.

But it doesn't matter, because Alec and Renesmee were numb to it all, numb to everything except each other and their intertwined hands.

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**hope you guys like it. WE ARE SO CLOSE TO THE END!!!! Review, Pretty Please with ten thousand smiles from Alec!!! oh, and remember the forgotten should come out in the next 2 days.**


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